ABSTRACT: This talk will summarize the evolution of design practices at IBM and elsewhere and will describe future directions that address key design challenges at the product, company, and societal level. IBM started its focus on user experience design in 1955 and has introduced various enhancements to its design practices over the years. The insights gleaned from this history and the history of the field in general will be discussed. In 2008, IBM introduced a new corporate strategy for building a smarter planet that is instrumented, interconnected, and intelligent. Design is a key component of this strategy. An overview of IBM's current and future directions in design will be outlined focussing on ten strategic themes from macro design to dealing with a flat world. The implications for designers and organizations will be discussed.

SPEAKER: Karel Vredenburg is Program Director for User Experience Design at IBM. He is responsible for driving the visual and interaction/user experience design of IBM software, hardware, websites, and services, he leads the development of IBM's user experience design processes, methods, assets, and tools and their deployment company-wide, and also IBM's team of design and user experience practitioners. He joined IBM in 1988 after having done graduate studies, research, and teaching at the University of Toronto. He introduced UCD at IBM in 1993 and assumed his present company-wide role in 1995. He has written over 60 conference and journal publications. He has also published a book entitled "User-Centered Design: An Integrated Approach", contributed chapters to other edited books and served as special issue editor for the International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction special issue entitled "Designing the Total User Experience at IBM" and the "Ease of Use" issue of the IBM Systems Journal. He is a member of several international committees and working groups. He is based in Toronto, Canada.